A device-free day, how social media companies target students during class, and an important reminder about student safety online
For Educators · The Social Institute
This week’s throughline: students don’t need more restrictions, they need real skills to navigate technology well.
- A North Carolina district’s tech-free Tuesdays and Thursdays reveal the limits of restrictions.
- Internal documents show social media platforms intentionally targeted students during the school day.
- A Utah exploitation case is a reminder of why privacy skills and trusted adults matter.
What one district’s tech-free Tuesdays & Thursdays experiment reveals about tech’s real impact on learning
One district pressed pause on devices twice a week, and what they learned reframes the whole screens debate.
The Gist
A rural North Carolina school district made headlines this year for running a bold experiment: no school-issued laptops on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The change came after years of investing heavily in devices without seeing the academic gains the district had hoped for. While the district saw some improvements in students’ focus and engagement, they ultimately learned that restrictions alone aren’t enough. Administrators discovered that the goal isn’t to use more or less tech in the classroom. It’s helping students know when technology supports their learning, and when it’s time to step away.
What to Know
Stan Winborne, Superintendent of Granville County Public School, recently tested “tech-free” Tuesdays and Thursdays after questioning whether years of increased device use were delivering the academic benefits they expected. District leaders wanted to better understand how devices were impacting student learning, focus, and engagement.
Some of the benefits showed up quickly. Teachers noticed students reading more physical books, having more face-to-face conversations, and engaging with classmates in new ways. Several educators also said it was easier to see how students were thinking and learning when screens weren’t part of every lesson.
But the experiment also revealed that taking devices away is only part of the equation. Many teachers had already planned lessons around technology before the initiative was announced, making it difficult to quickly shift to offline learning. Students noticed the difference when tech-free activities felt intentional versus when they felt like a last-minute replacement.
The key takeaway from the experiment? Building healthy technology habits isn’t about choosing between screens and no screens. It’s about helping students understand when technology supports their goals and when tech-free time can help them focus, connect, and learn.
TSI’s Take
Healthy tech habits are not built through restrictions alone. They’re built by equipping students with the skills to Strike A Balance, navigate technology intentionally, and make choices that support their learning and well-being. Educators can help students learn to strike a balance by:
- Building in moments to reflect on tech use: Ask students when technology helped them learn during a lesson, and when it may have distracted them.
- Creating intentional tech-free opportunities: Try device-free discussions, partner activities, or independent reading time to help students practice focus and connection.
- Connecting technology use to student goals: Encourage students to consider how their device habits impact their learning, relationships, and well-being.
Want to help students strike a balance and better manage digital distractions? Explore the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Tech Management and Our Goals, where students huddle on their learning goals and strategies for building healthy tech habits.
Social media platforms were found to be intentionally targeting students during school hours
Internal documents show platforms designed to pull students in during class, and why restrictions alone won’t keep them safe.
The Gist
A New York Times review of internal lawsuit documents revealed that major social media companies knowingly targeted students during the school day, even as some employees raised concerns about the practice. The findings highlight an important reality for schools: students aren’t just navigating digital distractions online, they’re navigating platforms built to capture their attention and keep them coming back for more. This is an important reminder that we cannot rely on platform restrictions alone to keep students safe. They need the skills to navigate what they encounter online in healthy ways.
What to Know
According to internal documents, Snapchat sent notifications to students during class encouraging them to post about what was happening around them, while one company document referred to classroom phone use as “under the desk” time. TikTok considered turning off notifications for minors during school hours but ultimately decided against it because it could reduce engagement.
The documents also showed how valuable schools were to these companies. Meta recruited teen ambassadors to promote Instagram in high schools, while Google employees discussed increasing YouTube usage during the school week and described schools as a way to bring students into Google’s broader ecosystem. At the same time, Google’s own teams raised concerns that students could easily be pulled from educational videos into unrelated content.
While Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube have since agreed to pay a combined $27 million to settle with a small Kentucky school district, none admitted wrongdoing.
For educators, this reinforces why modern life skills matter. Students are navigating online environments that are full of opportunities, distractions, and competing influences. Helping them recognize those influences is an important part of preparing them to thrive online and offline.
TSI’s Take
The most important thing schools can do right now isn’t ban platforms or restrict devices; it’s to help students understand how social media platforms are designed to capture their attention, and equip them with strategies to spot and navigate those influences. Educators can help students become aware of the systems that shape their behavior online by:
- Encouraging students to reflect on how social media makes them feel before, during, and after they use it.
- Discussing how algorithms influence what students see, think about, and engage with online.
- Opening judgment-free conversations about the pressures students experience online and how they respond to them.
Educators can bring this conversation directly into their classrooms through the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Impact of Dopamine and Algorithms on Screen Time, to help students understand how social media is designed to engage them and how to take back control.
A recent case in Utah reveals the lifetime toll of online exploitation on teens
A difficult case underscores why privacy skills and trusted adults matter more than ever.
The Gist
A recent case of online exploitation involving a 15-year-old girl in Utah is sparking conversations about the importance of helping students navigate online interactions with discernment and awareness. While technology creates opportunities to connect, it can also expose students to potentially harmful situations. By helping students recognize when an online interaction crosses a line and seek support when needed, schools can strengthen privacy and responsible decision making skills that will support their learning and well-being.
What to Know
In this case, what started as an online interaction quickly escalated into exploitation. While the details are concerning, the situation highlights an important reality: many online exploitation cases begin with what appears to be a harmless conversation, compliment, or friend request.
Counselors say that students impacted by online exploitation often feel embarrassed, isolated, or afraid to ask for help. As a result, they may stay silent even when something feels wrong, making early support from a trusted adult especially important.
That’s why it’s critical to help students recognize warning signs, such as requests for personal information, pressure to keep conversations secret, or attempts to move interactions away from trusted adults. Research consistently shows that when students feel connected to supportive adults, they’re more likely to ask questions, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and seek help before a situation escalates.
TSI’s Take
This story is a reminder of why one of The Social Institute’s Seven Standards, Protect Your Privacy Like You’re Famous, matters so much. When students know how to recognize red flags, protect their personal information, and turn to trusted adults for support, they’re better prepared to navigate online interactions safely and confidently.
Educators can help students by:
- Teaching students to recognize red flags such as secrecy or pressure to share personal information.
- Creating regular opportunities for huddles about online relationships, privacy, and digital boundaries.
- Encouraging students to identify trusted adults they can turn to when something doesn’t feel right.
These skills don’t develop overnight. They take practice. Check out the #WinAtSocial Lesson, Strangers and Hackers, to help students identify potential online risks, protect their personal information, and know when to seek support.
Across all three stories, the lesson is the same: students don’t need more rules, they need real skills to navigate technology with confidence. Whether it’s knowing when to step away from a screen, recognizing how platforms are built to pull them in, or spotting the warning signs of an unsafe interaction, those skills are learned through practice. The Social Institute makes it easy to start. Explore ready-to-use lessons, dig into our Seven Standards, or request a demo to see how #WinAtSocial brings these conversations to life in your classroom.